Wednesday, February 28, 2007

Does Anyone Really Think The NAB Represents The Consumer?

February 28, 2007

Listening to the hearings before congressional committee today relating to the proposed merger of Sirius and XM, one might have had the impression that the NAB was there to act in the best interest of the consumer. In reading how the NAB defines themselves, you can begin to understand that their interest is with their member stations, and not the consumer. Notice what the NAB is dedicated to, and notice that they fail to mention the consumer anywhere. Do you really think that the NAB is worried about the consumer? Or is it the 8,300 businesses the NAB represents that have Mr. Rehr flying to Washington to oppose the merger. Mr. Rehr, your agenda is clear and transparent.

About NAB The National Association of Broadcasters

"The National Association of Broadcasters is a trade association that advocates on behalf of more than 8,300 free, local radio and television stations and also broadcast networks before Congress, the Federal Communications Commission and the Courts."

Now turn to Sirius

SIRIUS is changing the way people listen to music, sports, news, and entertainment. Operating from its corporate headquarters in New York City's Rockefeller Center, SIRIUS broadcasts over 130 digital-quality channels, including 69 channels of 100% commercial-free music, plus exclusive channels of sports, news, talk, entertainment, traffic, weather and data.

This unique listening experience is available to subscribers from coast-to-coast in the United States. The service can be used in cars, trucks, RVs, homes, offices, stores, and even outdoors. Boaters around the country, and up to 200 miles offshore, can also hear SIRIUS. SIRIUS provides premium quality programming delivered by three dedicated satellites orbiting directly over the United States. SIRIUS' 100% commercial-free music covers nearly every genre - from heavy metal and hip-hop to country, dance, jazz, Latin, classical and beyond, including a dedicated Elvis® channel. Each is prepared and hosted by SIRIUS staff, all of which are recognized experts in their music fields, along with contributing musicians and performers who lend their talent and expertise. This ensures that SIRIUS subscribers can regularly listen to unparalleled music selections, insights and perspectives.

The over 60 channels of sports, news, talk, entertainment, traffic, weather and data offered by SIRIUS have an unmatched lineup of programming, which comes from such top names as Howard Stern, CNBC, CNN, Martha Stewart, ABC News, BBC World Service, E! Entertainment, Maxim, NPR and Radio Disney. SIRIUS carries shows focused on comedy, public affairs, the arts, the trucking life and the full political spectrum from liberal "left" to conservative "right." Around-the-clock traffic and weather reports are provided for the top 20 US traffic markets.
SIRIUS is the leading provider of sports radio programming, broadcasting play-by-play action of more than 350 pro and college teams. SIRIUS features news, talk and play-by-play action from the NFL, NASCAR, NBA, NHL, Barclays English Premier League soccer, UEFA Champions League, the Wimbledon Championships and more than 125 colleges, plus live coverage of several of the year’s top thoroughbred horse races. SIRIUS is the only radio outlet to provide listeners with every NFL game, airs every NASCAR Nextel Cup Series, NASCAR Busch Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race, and broadcasts over 1000 NBA games per season, plus up to 40 NHL games per week. SIRIUS also features programming from ESPN Radio and ESPNews.

The company’s highly experienced management team is composed of seasoned executives from the entertainment, radio, consumer electronics, music and automotive industries. This team is led by SIRIUS CEO Mel Karmazin.

The nerve center for SIRIUS operations is at Avenue of the Americas and 49th Street in New York City, where the company’s state-of-the art studios are located. Artists including Burt Bacharach, Sheryl Crow, Emmy Lou Harris, Richie Havens, Al Jarreau, Yo-Yo Ma, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Phoebe Snow, The White Stripes, Sting and Randy Travis have visited the studios for performances and interviews.

Broadcasts also are conducted from Los Angeles, Memphis, Nashville, New Orleans, Houston and Daytona – bringing SIRIUS listeners in touch with the centers of music, entertainment and information across America.

Sirius-ready receivers are manufactured to meet the needs of all subscribers, and come in versions for cars, trucks, recreational vehicles, boats, aircraft, the home, offices, stores and for portable use. The receiver product line starts with portable and transportable Plug & Play radios and continues to high-end receivers complete with motorized touch-control display screens, as well as radios that are found in new cars and trucks. SIRIUS products for the car, truck, home, RV and boat are distributed by Alpine, Audiovox, Brix Group, Clarion, Delphi, Directed Electronics, Eclipse, Eton, Jensen, JVC, Kenwood, Magnadyne, Monster Cable, Pioneer, Russound, Tivoli, Thomson and XACT Communications.

Available in more than 25,000 retail locations, SIRIUS radios can be purchased at major retailers including Best Buy, Circuit City, Crutchfield, Costco, Target, Wal-Mart, Sam's Club and RadioShack. SIRIUS is also available at heavy truck dealers and truck stops nationwide.
DaimlerChrysler, Ford, BMW, Audi, Volkswagen, and Kia are SIRIUS' exclusive automotive partners, and their production represents over 40% of the new cars and light trucks sold annually in the United States. SIRIUS radios are currently offered in vehicles from Audi, BMW, Chrysler, Dodge, Ford, Infiniti, Jaguar, Jeep(r), Land Rover, Lexus, Lincoln-Mercury, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, MINI, Nissan, Porsche, Rolls Royce, Scion, Toyota, Volkswagen and Volvo.

Hertz provides SIRIUS in rental vehicles at locations around the country. In addition, the Penske companies – Penske Auto Group, United Auto Group and Penske Trucking – offer SIRIUS radios as a factory installed option, where available, in cars and trucks through their dealerships.

And Now XM

XM Satellite Radio Inc., an emerging force in broadcasting, was incorporated in 1992 and is a wholly owned subsidiary of XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc. XM is publicly traded on the NASDAQ exchange since October 5, 1999. XM's founding was prompted by the radio industry's first major technological change since the popularization of FM radio in the 1970s: the creation of a third broadcast medium, transmitted by satellite, now taking its place alongside AM and FM on the radio dial. One of only two companies with a license for this new national audio service, XM has assembled a "dream team" of creative radio professionals and a management team committed to leading the world into the next generation of radio. XM's 2007 lineup includes more than 170 digital channels of choice from coast to coast: the most music in satellite radio, including 69 commercial-free music channels and exclusive live concerts and original programming, plus premier sports, talk, comedy, children's and entertainment programming; and 21 channels of the most advanced traffic and weather information.

XM, the leader in satellite-delivered entertainment and data services for the automobile market through partnerships with General Motors, Honda, Toyota, Hyundai, Nissan and Volkswagen/Audi, is available in more than 140 different vehicle models for 2007.
XM's industry-leading products from manufacturers such as Delphi, Pioneer, Audiovox and Yamaha, among others, are available at electronics retailers nationwide including Walmart, Best Buy, Circuit City, Sears and participating independent dealers.

In addition to our corporate headquarters and broadcast facilities in Washington, D.C., XM has broadcast facilities in New York, Chicago, and Nashville, and additional offices in Deerfield, FL; Novi, MI; and Yokohama, Japan.

I would respectfully submit to you, the SSG reader, that Sirius and XM are far more consumer centered than the NAB could ever hope to be.

Labels: consumer, nab, sirius, xm